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04/16/19 • 41 min
5 Listeners
Against the Rules with Michael Lewis - The Alex Kogan Experience
Transcript Summary
In this episode, titled "The Alex Kogan Experience," the decline of neutral third parties and language referees is explored. The episode begins by introducing Bryan Garner, an advocate for proper English usage, whose outrage at descriptivism has fueled his work as a helpful guide for writers and speakers. However, Garner's usage manual struggles to gain popularity in a defunct category. The decline of ombudsmen in various industries, including media organizations, is also highlighted, with the New York Times discontinuing the role due to digital criticism. The focus then shifts to Alex Kogan, a psychologist who signed an agreement with Facebook to study user data. Cambridge Analytica later used this data for political consulting, but the predictive efforts proved ineffective. Cogan faced severe backlash and accusations, damaging his academic career and reputation. The episode further discusses how the absence of neutral referees in news and the spreading of misinformation have allowed for the construction of individual realities. Through the journey of both Bryan Garner and Alex Kogan, listeners will gain insight into the consequences of diminishing neutral third parties and referees in society.
Transcript
Pushkin. I want to start this episode by telling you just the very beginning of a story I recently heard about. A guy named Alex Cogan born in nineteen eighty six into a Jewish family in the Soviet Union. After the collapse in nineteen ninety one, the government loses control and Jews are even less safe than before. Alex's dad starts getting death threats, so he up and moves his entire family four generations of Cogan's, to New York City. In nine
The Alex Kogan Experience Top Questions Answered
What is Bryan Garner known for?
Bryan Garner is known for publishing a Usage Guide in 1998 as a protest against the way people spoke on TV.
How does Garner classify changes in language?
Garner classifies changes in language into five stages, ranging from new usage to accepted use.
What sparked Garner's interest in language?
Garner's interest in language stemmed from his outrage at the idea of descriptivism, which claims that a native speaker cannot make a mistake.
How does Garner describe his role in relation to language usage?
Garner sees himself as a referee and aims to be a helpful guide to writers and speakers of English.
Has Garner's usage manual been successful in terms of sales?
No, Garner's usage manual, "Modern English Usage," has not sold as many copies as other similar books.
How have attitudes towards language use changed over time?
Previously, people felt uneasy about their language use, but now they feel uneasy about being judged by others.
Why has the role of ombudsman in news organizations declined?
The role of ombudsman in news organizations has declined due to the belief that social media criticism can effectively fulfill that role.
When did The New York Times create the ombudsman position?
The New York Times created the ombudsman position in 2003 after facing criticism for sensational reporting errors.
What political consulting firm used Facebook data collected by Alex Cogan?
Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm, used the Facebook data collected by Alex Cogan.
What prompted Facebook's portrayal of itself as a victim in the data scandal?
Despite allowing Alex Cogan to use their data for research and commerce, Facebook later portrayed themselves as a victim in the data scandal.
Who is Brian Garner?
Brian Garner is introduced as an expert in English language usage and works as a language referee based in Dallas.
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